


Meet us at Angelo's

by Hotaru_Tomoe



Series: The English job [6]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Silly, Tony is a perfect matchmaker, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 14:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8537071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hotaru_Tomoe/pseuds/Hotaru_Tomoe
Summary: Tony is tired to watch Ross and Strange acting like two teenagers and decides to give them a push in the right direction.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [beautiful manip](http://sherlockspeare.tumblr.com/post/152251860834/if-everett-ross-meets-doctor-strange-to-discuss) by Sherlockspeare.

"Tony, no."

Steve had lost count of how many conversations with Tony had started like that.

"You don’t even know what I’m doing."

Tony was guiding a drone that was transmitting live from somewhere in London.

"You are using one of your electronic devilry and this is a bad thing in itself."

"Your distrust in me is a blow to my heart," Tony quipped, doing puppy eyes.

Steve's attention was attracted by the monitor.

"Wait a minute, is that deputy commander Ross? What's going on?" he asked, suddenly tense.

"Relax, Cap! There is no war on the horizon."

"Then why are you spying on him?"

Tony gave him a sparkling smile.

"Let's say that I’m concerned about how they spend the taxpayers' money."

He projected a chart in front of them and explained, "In the last three months, Ross has been in Hong Kong, Kamar-Taj, London and New York, for a total of twelve times."

"He is monitoring the new one, Doctor Strange,” Steve shrugged. “So what?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I envy your naivety."

“I’m not naive.”

“How many times have you met Ross?”

“Three.”

“And me just two, then why he’s visiting the magician so often? Strange is not a brawler and didn’t blow up a city, yet, so...” Tony prompted, hoping to see a spark of understanding on Cap face. In vain.

"For god's sake, Steve!"

"Language."

"Those two have a crush on each other, and they don’t even know it" Tony stated.

"Are you drunk?"

"No, my dear, I have observed: Ross keeps visiting Strange because he wants to see him, no other reason. Here, look at yourself."

"I’m not a peeping tom."

"Sit down and shut up."

Tony grabbed Steve by the arm and made him sit next to him, while Everett Ross knocked at the door of the London temple and the microscopic drone of the Stark Industries entered with him.

 

The door opened by itself, and the deputy commander straightened his tie and smoothed his hair before entering.

"Hello?"

"Up here."

The sorcerer was sitting at his desk, with an old book in his hands; the warm orange light of the late afternoon that filtered through the window behind him softened the sharp features of his face, and Ross held a breath.

Strange smiled when Ross came up the stairs and closed the book.

"Everett." After their sixth meeting they decided to be on first-name basis.

"Stephen, do I bother you?"

"Not at all: please, sit."

"Thank you, what were you reading?"

"Egyptian esotericism."

"Sounds interesting."

"It is."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

"What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" the sorcerer asked.

Ross reached into his briefcase looking for the tablet and handed it to Strange.

"Here, I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on the theft of some prehistoric jewels from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam."

"Charming place, have you ever been there?"

"No, I don’t understand much about art."

"Maybe you just need the right cicerone," Strange suggested in a soft voice.

"Yes, maybe yes."

Strange looked down at the tablet and read the investigation report.

"Why are you asking me for advice?"

"Well, I thought that the jewelry could be like, you know… ritual objects... weird stuff... and maybe those who stole them want to do magical... things with them, and since you’re an expert, I thought to ask for your help."

"Oh, of course, but I can’t give an opinion right now, I have to study the report, first."

"No problem, you can tell me the next time I we meet."

"Sure."

Not having another excuse to stay, Ross started to get up from the chair, but Strange stopped him.

"God, where are my manners? I haven’t offered you any tea... you have time for it, right?"

"For one of your tea? Always."

Strange took time to prepare a perfect tea, and when Ross accepted the cup from his hands and touched his fingers, Strange lingered a moment before withdrawing his hand.  
"It's delicious, sweet but strong" Ross said, after the first sip.

“Thank you. It’s Gyokuro green tea from Uji, first harvest of spring. Bushes are covered for two week before the harvesting to preserve chlorophyll level, and that’s the secret of its sweetness.”

“Beautiful… I mean, the-the process is beautiful” Ross stammered.

“Yes, it is” Strange said, looking him in the eyes “Another cup?”

“Please.”

He could easily refill the cup with magic, but it seemed too impersonal and did it with his hands, even if he spilled some tea on the table.

“Thank you.”

Ross drank his tea slowly, picking up other subjects for small talk, but then he looked at his watch and sighed.

“Must you go?”

“Yes, I’ve a briefing at Downing street.”

“I’ll study this report and let you know if magic is involved. Goodbye Everett.”

“Goodbye Stephen.”

 

Sitting in front of video, Tony covered his face with his hands.

"Do you see them? Smiles, sighs, heart eyes… they’re past forty but behave like two damn teenagers on their first date. What’s next? They’ll write the name of the other one on their secret diary inside a pink heart?"

“They are… delicate. Not everyone is an animal like you, Tony.”

“Ah-ha!” Tony pointed a finger at him.

“What?”

"You too think that they have a crush."

"Even if it was, why do you care?"

"I told you, I care about the taxpayers' money: after all Ross flies with an UN plane when he visits Strange."

"Tony..." Steve gave him THE look.

"I like them, okay? They are a nice couple, and it’s maddening to see them dancing around it and never get to the point."

"It’s none of your business."

"Oh, c’mon! Are you telling me that Captain America doesn’t want to see the triumph of love?"

"I don’t see how you can do something about it."

"I think there’d be a progress if they meet on a less official ground. On a romantic dinner, for example."

"You think they will accept?"

"Yes, especially if they don’t know they're going to a date."

"And how do you do that?"

"It's simple: you send a message to Ross saying you want to meet him to discuss something about the Avengers, giving him the address of Angelo’s, a lovely Italian restaurant in London, and I do the same with the wizard boy."

"Wait a minute, I have never said that I agree with your plan."

Tony quickly typed something on his phone and then shrugged.

"Too late, Cap, you've already messaged to Ross."

Steve pulled his  phone from his jacket pocket and checked: yes, it was true.

"What? How? I hate you."

"No, you don’t."

 

Ross had no idea why Rogers wanted to meet him: the two of them were not exactly on good terms, and generally it was Stark to act as an intermediary for communications, but any thoughts related to Captain America faded from his mind when he entered the small restaurant and saw Stephen sitting the more secluded table in the bow window.

The sorcerer was just as surprised to see him.

"Everett, what are you doing here?"

"Until a minute ago I thought I had a business meeting with Steve Rogers, but now..."

"Ah. Tony Stark gave me an appointment here for the same reason."

Both of them heard their text alarm.

The message to Ross from Steve said: "I’m sorry, it was not my idea", while that of Tony for Strange was more explicit: "Have fun as I would do. Well, maybe without the part with neighbors calling the police."

Strange was the first to figure out what had happened.

"This is awkward," Strange chuckled.

"You mean... those two organized this?"

"I do not know what goes on in their head. Sorry, I guess you have business to attend."

"To be honest, no. I haven’t had dinner yet, and since we are in a restaurant..."

"Sure, be my guest."

As soon as Ross sat down, the owner of the restaurant came to greet them, holding out two menus.

"Tonight you're special guests of Mr. Stark: everything is on him.”

Then he lit the candle on the table and winked at them.

"It’s more romantic."

When he walked away, Ross was going to say that yes, Stephen was right, it was pretty awkward, but then he saw the sorcerer watching the candle flame almost with hope, and said nothing.

And, after all, that candle was a nice touch.

The sorcerer looked away and cleared his throat.

"I looked at the police report, but I don’t think that the theft is the work of someone interested in magic."

"Oh, yes, I would have told you: we have found that they were ordinary thieves, and, look, I have a proposal: what do you say if tonight we put aside the work topic?"

"Willingly."

"And, please, can you give me a hand with the menu? I’m afraid that my Italian is rusty."

"And how do you know that my not?"

"I've read your record."

"This is rather unfair, Everett, I have no record about you."

"You can ask me whatever you want."

And so they talked about everything, laughing and joking for hours, unaware of time passing, until the last customer left the restaurant and the waiters began to tidy up the room.

"I think we shouldn’t bother further Angelo."

"You're right."

But both were reluctant to abandon their little bubble and get back to their lives, especially after such a perfect evening.

"Look, Everett..."

"Stephen, I…”

They laughed and then Ross made a gesture with his hand: "You first."

Strange stared at that hand, took a deep breath to give himself courage, and covered it with his own.

"Right," he muttered, then leaned over and kissed him.

He kept the contact the short and light, just to test his reaction, but when Ross moaned in protest at the brevity of the kiss, he smiled and kissed him again, more firmly.

Stephen lips were heavenly and Ross cursed himself for having hesitated for so long, when he felt something crawling on his thigh, and how it was possible, if both of Stephen's hands were on the table?

"Wha-?"

It was the Cloak of levitation, which seemed to approve what was happening and was caressing him.

Well, now that was awkward.

"Behave!" Strange hissed "I'm sorry."

"No, it's… quite cute, actually.”

"Everett?"

"Yes?"

"What happened… is it fine for you?"

"More than fine."

"Just, it bothers me to have to thank Tony Stark for this."

Ross frowned. "How do you think he knew about us?"

A thousand scenarios passed through Strange’s mind. "God, I’d rather not to think about it."

“Me too,” he laughed.

 

Outside the restaurant, Tony beamed.

“See?”

“Okay, you were right. Happy, now? Can we stop peeping on them?”

“But I want to see how the evening ends.”

“No way” Steve dragged him away easily.

“Will you show me you something better, then?” he said in a mischievous voice, and winked.

“Shut up!” Steve grumbled, becoming redder than Strange’s cloak.


End file.
